Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $966 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,378 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,791 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 23% more expensive than Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Johor Bahru 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$3.53 MYR 13.93

215.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$18.69 MYR 73.8

130.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$4.76 MYR 18.82

72.69%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$3.01 MYR 11.90

3.99%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.85 MYR 3.35

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$3.51 MYR 13.85

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$6.76 MYR 26.71

-55.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.80 MYR 7.11

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.98 MYR 3.89

-25.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.24 MYR 4.89

49.19%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.84 MYR 7.26

33.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$10.67 MYR 42.16

-26.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$3.55 MYR 14.01

76.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$8.25 MYR 32.60

18.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$2.66 MYR 10.51

-54.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.46 MYR 5.76

8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$2.57 MYR 10.16

-30.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.25 MYR 4.93

85.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.14 MYR 4.51

-37.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.34 MYR 5.30

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.94 MYR 3.71

25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.52 MYR 2.04

36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$4.17 MYR 16.47

-29.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$14.50 MYR 57.3

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.68 MYR 10.59

-42.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.92 MYR 11.53

-20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$11.81 MYR 46.65

25.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.97 MYR 3.84

52.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-32.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$9.09 MYR 35.92

-18.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$0.47 MYR 1.84

144.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

-48.25%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

-29.45%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$73.4 ₾198

$40.87 MYR 161

79.69%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.64 ₾31.32

$9.23 MYR 36.44

26.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$30.64 MYR 121

-42.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$35.09 MYR 139

72.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$5.82 MYR 22.99

182.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$4.90 MYR 19.35

32.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$263 ₾707

$191 MYR 755

37.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

-25.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$49.07 MYR 194

58.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.14 MYR 75.6

131.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$54.2 MYR 214

117.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$39.65 MYR 157

187.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$468 MYR 1,848

48.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$396 MYR 1,565

16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$843 MYR 3,331

58.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$599 MYR 2,366

30.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$2,090 MYR 8,254

21.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$1,190 MYR 4,700

20.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$1,155 MYR 4,562

-45.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.07

192.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $468 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $218, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tbilisi vs Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Johor Bahru differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,185 vs $966 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johor Bahru earns 83% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $468 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $966 in Johor Bahru – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Johor Bahru are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.